As Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. hints he could retire next year, senators are watching closely. It would mean a tough confirmation process on Capitol Hill for any replacement picked by President Donald Trump, experts say.
Alito, 76, has contemplated retirement but decided to stay through the end of the Supreme Court term that started this week, he told CBS and Bloomberg in recent interviews. Replacing Alito during the Trump administration could mean cementing the court’s current controlling 6-3 conservative bloc for years to come and would give Trump his fourth pick on the court.
